Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Connecting to TP-Secure on Linux (using Fedora 11.0)

Connecting to the SSID TP-Secure in Temasek Polytechnic with Linux can prove to be a very challenging task. I had a hard time configuring my laptop to connect to the network on Ubuntu 8.10. I spent hours trying to figure out a way to connect to the TP-Secure network but it just refused to connect (Although I was happy that the network was at least detected). In the middle of it all, Ubuntu crashed during an upgrade.

I replaced Ubuntu with a fresh installation of Fedora 11. When I tried to connect to the TP wireless network this time, it surprisingly (unlike Ubuntu) connected immediately. Heres how I did it:

Click on the NetworkManager Applet on your panel. If you don't have the Applet on the panel, go to System -> Preferences -> Network Connections:

Once the Network Connection window opens, select the Wireless tab and select Add. Enter the following information in the dialog box that opens.

Next, select the Wireless Security Tab and enter the following details. Enter your Student Matric. card number in the Username field and your TP password in the Password field. It is advisable to leave the Show password check-box unchecked.

You don't need to make any changes in the IPv4 Settings tab so click Apply.

You may be prompted by a 'Wireless Network Authentication Required' dialog box. Enter the details as shown below, replacing the Username and Password with your Student Metric Card number and TP login password respectively, and click Connect.

Once you click the Ignore button, the computer will attempt to connect to TP-Secure. You may be prompted by the Authentication Required dialog box again just click Connect and you should get a notification like this:

Open your browser and type in a URL and see if you've been connected.

Hope the above configuration works for you, because if it did, you just made it to the really small group of people who support Open Source and use Linux on the Temasek Polytechnic Campus.